NUKU‘ALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, March 1, 2016) – New climate resilient school buildings, that have been rebuilt and refurbished in Ha’apai after being badly damaged by Tropical Cyclone Ian in 2014, were handed over to the Tonga government last week on 26 February.

Twelve primary schools were reconstructed and refurbished, ten of which were co-financed with millions provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the New Zealand Government by the end of last year.

Meanwhile, the reconstruction of Ha’apai High School is still underway and classrooms were refurbished before the start of the school year with remaining works to be completed by June, the ADB said in a statement.

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Lolo criticizes spending, support for fishing in protected area

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, March 1, 2016) – Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga argues that the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council should have first fixed the fishing boats in the territory before spending money on fishery development for things like ice machines in the Manu’a island group.

The governor, who is still at odds with the Council for recommending that the federal government approve reduction of the Large Vessel Protected Area (LVPA) from 50 to 12 miles, made the argument during last Tuesday’s federal Interagency Group on Insular Area (IGIA) meeting at the White House.

Earlier in the three-hour IGIA meeting at the White House, Lolo voiced his disappointment over federal policies impacting American Samoa’s...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

French Polynesia Study show connection to Guillain-Barre syndrome

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, March 1, 2016) – Scientists say they have confirmed that the Zika virus sweeping Latin America and blamed for severe birth defects can also trigger a dangerous neurological disorder.

In a study published in the medical journal The Lancet, a team probed Zika's suspected role in a 2013-2014 outbreak in French Polynesia of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) — a rare condition in which the body's immune system attacks a part of the nervous system that controls muscle strength.

Research into patients who fell ill with GBS, supported by blood tests, proved that the mosquito-borne virus was the culprit, the researchers said.

They found a 20-fold increase in the number of GBS cases during the Zika epidemic, and 90 per cent of...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Senate looks at Bill to make territory consistent with most other states

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, March 2, 106) – Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono is leading the push to have voters in American Samoa elect the governor and lieutenant governor separately, instead of the current law, which calls for them to be nominated and elected jointly. There is no word that this change is being sought for this year’s general election.

Asked for the reason for changing this election process, Soliai — a former chief election officer for many years — said he believes the time has come for the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected separately. He pointed out that almost all of the states in the nation have their top two leaders in the executive branch elected separately.

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

US vessels could soon return to fishing in Pacific Islands

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, March 3, 2016) – The American Tunaboat Association has confirmed an agreement has been reached for US vessels to purchase treaty licenses from the Fisheries Forum Agency for the remainder of 2016.

Its Executive Director, Brian Hallman, says the agreement has been finalised, license fees have been transmitted from his Association to the FFA, and vessels will be able to begin fishing in the treaty area pursuant to the 2016 agreement.

Mr Hallman says the American Tunaboat Association is pleased with recent turn of events, and that the impasse is over.

He says his Association looks forward to participating in negotiations this year to re-structure the treaty, so that it can continue to be viable after 2016,...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Pardon push coming from Opposition group of MPs

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, March 3, 2016) – The Vanuatu government says any consideration of pardons for jailed former MPs would have to be made by a parliamentary committee.

In October, 14 MPs from the previous Sato Kilman-led government were convicted on bribery and corruption charges.

Since the MPs' jailing and the subsequent snap election, a new government led by Charlot Salwai has emerged.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the office of the Prime Minister, Johnny Koanapo, said the government won't take any action inconsistent with Vanuatu law, regarding the jailed MPs' hopes for a pardon.

"The government has agreed that it's absolutely necessary to have a parliamentary committee that will work in close collaboration with the parole...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

$80 million in damage to health, agriculture, education sectors

By Reginald Chandar

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, March 2, 2016) – The Fijian Government has distributed food rations and relief supplies to about 80 per cent of areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

[PIR editor’s note: On March 3, 2016 Fiji Times reported that ‘Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston has left a third of the population or 347,000 people in need of urgent and comprehensive assistance. ... At least four in ten children are at risk, a report by the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Pacific revealed. ... This, as the State revealed a staggering bill of $170.78million (US$80 million) in damage in three major sectors — health, agriculture and education.’]

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

10 half day sessions in 2015 called ‘waste of time and taxpayer money’

By Melody Cargill

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, March 2, 2016) – With the last two-day session of Parliament described as being "very insignificant," the Opposition is hoping the next will be lengthier and far more substantial with important bills being presented, says deputy leader Tamaiva Tuavera.

"It was a waste of time and taxpayer money", says Tuavera of the final 2015 session of Parliament held over December 14 and 15. Parliament sat for just 10 half days last year. Or five full eight-hour working days.

That figure Tuavera says is, "pitiful and a terrible injustice to the people who voted us to serve them".

The Opposition deputy says it’s also out of their control how long each Parliamentary session is.

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Academic: Samoa has become a ‘dictatorship of the minority’

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, March 3, 2016) – On the eve of the 2016 General Elections, a prominent academic says the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P) will create history if they win again tomorrow.

Describing the H.R.P.P as a political "phenomenon," the Director of the Centre of Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S), Leasiolagi Dr. Malama Meleisea, says Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi’s H.R.P.P is set to become the longest serving political party in any democracy.

And should they win tomorrow, Samoa could possibly be looking at another 30 years of H.R.P.P, with the birth of a new generation of party supporters.

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

US Congress yet to act on 2011funding agreement

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno

HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, March 3, 2016) – China’s at-sea expansions should motivate the U.S. government to strengthen ties with the island nation of Palau through increased funding, the Northern Marianas’ lone delegate to Congress has urged.

"China certainly understands how important islands can be," said Delegate Gregorio C. Sablan.

"Right now China is actually creating islands, where none existed before," Sablan said, referring to China’s maritime expansions in territories also claimed by its Asian neighbors.

Sablan spoke Tuesday at the House Natural Resources Committee’s annual hearing on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s budget. Some of the United States’ financial assistance to Palau flows through the Interior...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.